PORTUGAL 0-0 SLOVENIA AET (3-0 pens): Cristiano Ronaldo burst into tears after seeing his extra-time penalty saved by Jan Oblak but on a night where he was so desperate to be the hero, this was perhaps a lesson that Portugal are undoubtedly stronger as a collective
First there were tears of distress, then came the tears of joy.
This was the Cristiano Ronaldo show in Frankfurt as Portugal squirmed their way into the quarter-finals of Euro 2024, edging past Slovenia 3-0 on penalties thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Ronaldo looked a broken man at half-time of extra-time after he was denied from 12-yards by Jan Oblak before he swiftly recuperated and regained his composure to swat aside any lingering mental demons.
His shootout spot-kick was exceptional but the circus that plagued this match was not so much. This was about Ronaldo trying to be the hero, by hook or by crook, and the reality is, it never needed to be that way. Portugal are stronger as a collective than when they’re relying on a 39-year-old veteran.
It wasn’t long before Ronaldo attempted to grab the spotlight and take centre stage. His comically needless self-centred juggling inside nine minutes wasn’t fooling anyone despite rapturous applause inside Deutsche Bank Park.
He then tried to dive and win a foul but stone-faced referee Daniele Orsato refused to be deceived. And to his credit, the Italian official was largely brilliant at managing CR7’s big persona all evening because the petulance began to wear thin.
Somehow, the Al-Nassr frontman failed to get on the end of around five teasing first-half crosses that narrowly evaded him. He then insisted on claiming every Portugal free-kick that was awarded within shooting distance.
Pundit Jose Fonte, who won Euro 2016 with Portugal, claimed “nobody can take him off them” during TV coverage – suggesting it’s effectively an unwritten rule that Ronaldo takes all free-kicks when playing for the national team.
But having scored just one of his last 60-plus free-kicks at major tournaments – a screamer against Spain in Russia in 2018, in fairness – it is surely time Ronaldo stepped aside, particularly after blazing one high into the crowd from an angle that was only suitable for crossing.
His first, dipping effort was hit with admirable force, skimming the crossbar but beyond that, his desperation and determination to be the star of the show became incredibly tedious on a night where the likes of Rafael Leao and Bruno Fernandes had the quality, not the platform, to make the difference.
Fernandes is no free-kick specialist but he was certainly worthy of an opportunity, yet both he and veteran centre-back Pepe were brushed aside with ease, multiple times, whenever Portugal won a foul inside the final third.
Martin Keown said during BBC commentary: “I wonder how he [Fernandes] feels, he’s not even allowed to go near the free kicks. It’s the Ronaldo show.”
The truth is, it was clear Fernandes was not best pleased, but Ronaldo still rules the Portugal roost and the Manchester United captain dare not say a word in fear of conflict. Ronaldo even had the cheek to throw his arms up to Fernandes when he failed to move the ball quickly and the 39-year-old drifted offside.
What’s even more surprising, in some ways, is that Roberto Martinez was prepared to tolerate the selfishness for so long as Diogo Jota, Joao Felix and Gonzalo Ramos burned holes in the back of his head from the substitutes’ bench.
Alarmingly, midfield dictator Vitinha, probably the best player on the park, was withdrawn on 65 minutes for Jota as Portugal altered shape.
A fourth free-kick, with 20 minutes to play, was once again claimed by Ronaldo, who drove the ball over the crossbar and into the Slovenia end – they consequently chanted “Messi, Messi,” mocking the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
He even had a golden moment to win the game two minutes from time but he was denied by Jan Oblak, firing straight at the resilient Slovenia goalkeeper.
There was a familiar pattern in extra-time as Joao Cancelo had the bear the brunt of Ronaldo’s fury after failing to cross the ball and after Jota won a penalty, them came a staggering, iconic European Championships moment.
Ronaldo’s spot-kick was tipped onto the post by Oblak and the Portugal superstar appeared mentally broken. So much so, he burst into tears on his way over to Martinez’s huddle and he had to be consoled by Pepe before receiving a kiss on the head from Diogo Dalot. There was still 15 minutes to play.
Yet he did, however, show what makes him special by dispatching his penalty during the shootout because if he missed or had Slovenia eliminated Portugal, he would have lived to rue this night for the rest of his life, let alone career.
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